


Sleep Tight

by Isra



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Fiction, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-21
Updated: 2014-02-14
Packaged: 2018-01-12 10:23:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1185143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isra/pseuds/Isra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is set during filming of the Spot the Differences video.</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is set during filming of the Spot the Differences video.

**Disclaimer:** This is entirely made up, not real, etc.; I have no claim on these characters and do not know the real life people at all, and no one should take it seriously in any way.    


“I’m just saying, it’s so subtle that you’re not singing on the second take, it’s going to seem like a mistake,” Rhett insisted as he followed Link into the studio’s kitchenette. He had already taken off his steampunk eyepiece to review the last video before they called it a wrap, but he was still wearing the rest of the ridiculous outfit. His legs felt naked in the skirt, providing a distraction with every step. The bulky tulle of the skirt brushed both sides of the doorframe as he entered the room. 

Link strode to the small table in the corner and carefully shrugged off the backpack prop, then took off his top hat and set it down next to the pack. His dark curls were matted with sweat and his eyeliner was smudged into big dark rings. He opened the fridge and pulled out a can of soda before replying, “Well, that’s what we decided we would do. You’re not telling me we’re going to re-shoot the whole thing again, are you? Today has already been crazy.” He cracked the can open and drank deeply, head thrown back, adam’s apple bouncing sharply.

The straps from the eyepiece had left a red mark across Rhett’s face. It had been a long, stressful day of shooting and he knew how easy it would be to escalate this into a fight. Instead, he rubbed his face and scratched his beard thoughtfully. “Nah. I’m just not sure how it’s gonna turn out, is all. Setting this up has been so much work.”

Link turned to lean against the countertop, facing him. “I know, Rhett, I’ve been here the whole time, setting it up too.”

Rhett looked at his best friend. Link looked exhausted, but was meeting his eyes in that earnest way of his. There was a touch of annoyance in his voice, but when Rhett smiled, he did too. Link’s lips curled into a full grin as he said, “This is gonna be awesome.”

Rhett took a step toward the sink next to where Link was leaning, his long legs covering the distance in one stride. He reached up over Link’s head to open the counter and get a glass, then filled it with water from the tap. Link didn’t move, and as Rhett stood there, he caught the familiar scent of Link after a hard day’s work – sweat mixed with faint deodorant, overlaid with hints of greasepaint and leather from the costuming. Rhett would recognize that smell anywhere, and he always found it vaguely comforting. Rhett wondered how he, himself, smelled. He took a long drink. 

Link was still looking at him, and Rhett turned to meet his friend’s gaze. The eyeliner Link was wearing should have looked ridiculous, but instead it made his eyes even more transfixing than usual. The dark smudges made his cerulean eyes sparkle in the low light of the kitchenette, looking more blue than what should be possible in nature. Maybe it was because he wasn’t wearing his glasses, so everything on his face seemed more… immediate. Rhett found himself momentarily speechless. 

Link’s smile took on a playful tone. “I know I look ridiculous, you don’t have to say it.” 

Rhett laughed. “At least you’re wearing pants.”

Link gestured to where his “pants” ended, just below the knee. “Well, half of pants.” 

They both chuckled. They had long since ceased being self-conscious about anything around each other, but eyeliner and skirt-wearing pretty much mandated teasing. As he laughed, Rhett realized Link was looking him over rather intently from the bottom up, from his cowboy boots to his bare legs and then the froofy skirt. Rhett had a momentary flashback to the day before, when they had spent hours taped together like three-legged racers for the monster suit. He remembered the feel of Link’s arm around his waist, how natural and how steadying it had been. 

When Link’s eyes made it back to Rhett’s face, his brow furrowed. He reached up a hand to Rhett’s cheek, and before the other man could react, touched it lightly. “Wow, that strap really dug in there.” 

“Uh, yeah,” Rhett said. “The eyepiece is pretty heavy so I had to keep it tight.” He was still drawn to Link’s eyes, feeling like a butterfly on a pin, unable to look away. Falling into the twin blue pools.

Link touched his cheek more deliberately, running a thumb along the groove of the welt. Rhett felt a startling tightness in his stomach. “Maybe you should put some ice on it,” Link suggested.

Rhett moved his face away slightly, and felt Link’s hand fall casually onto the top of his skirt, at his hip. “I don’t know, I’m tired. I think I just want to call it a night.” The tightness had moved into his chest and he felt out of breath.

He set his water glass down on the counter and started to turn to go, breaking the eye contact with a focused effort of will. But before he could take a step, Link’s hand grasped the tulle of the skirt, halting him in place. He turned back to see his friend’s lips curved into a playful half-smile.


	2. Chapter 2

Rhett looked down at Link’s long fingers twined into the tulle of his skirt, then back up to his friend’s face. “Yes?”

“Don’t go just yet, all right? We’ve barely had a chance to talk today without a hundred people around.” Link took his hand off the skirt, but kept his eyes on Rhett’s, his smile fading to an expression that seemed somewhat wistful.

Rhett ran a hand through his hair as he looked down, breaking eye contact and trying to steady himself. He soon realized this meant his eyes were on the way Link’s lower half was leaning against the counter, one leg splayed to the side, the graceful curve of his hipbone visible through the thin cotton pants. Rhett felt a sudden and alarming weakness in his knees and took a hasty step backward toward the table, all but falling into one of the chairs. The skirt rustled as it poofed up around his thighs. 

Rhett swallowed. “Yeah, sure, all right. I can hang out a bit.” He picked up Link’s top hat from the table and rolled the brim between his hands without really thinking about it, just something to do with his nervous energy. When he reached the front of the hat he felt how it was damp with Link’s sweat. It smelled like Link’s hair.

Rhett carefully put the hat back down on the table.

Link had been watching him. “I know, that’s probably pretty gross by now. The lights are so hot.”

Rhett nodded. “Yup, yeah they are.” He looked up as Link turned to face the counter and brought his foot up to rest it on the countertop, then started untying his boot. The position pulled his pants taut against the back of his thighs and brought his backside into high definition. As much as Rhett had been transfixed by his friend’s eyes, this was worse. He felt his mouth go dry and he coughed weakly.

Link looked over his shoulder at him with a curious expression. A curly lock of hair had fallen back down over his forehead, obscuring one eye.

“My mouth is, ah, dry,” Rhett stammered. “From the lights, and, uh, the dust. On set.”

Link turned back to his boot, tugging at the laces, apparently oblivious to Rhett’s discomfiture. “I had to knot these so they would stay tied, but now I don’t think I’m ever gonna be able to get them off.” Rhett watched him lean far over his propped-up knee to get a better look at the knot. On the leg that remained on the ground, his slim, muscular calf flexed. 

Rhett swallowed hard and looked down at his lap, where his hands were unconsciously fidgeting with the tulle. “Uh. Do you want help with that?”

Link cocked his head. “No, Rhett, I don’t need help untying my shoes. I’m not a baby.”

“I’m not trying to make fun of you, man, I know you’re tired.” 

Link was muttering under his breath at the recalcitrant laces. Rhett continued, “Besides, I have the advantage in that mine don’t even have laces.”

Rhett brought up a leg and crossed it over the other, then reached out to pull off the cowboy boot. As he grasped it, he felt a familiar warning twinge in his back. He sighed.

Link looked over his shoulder again. “What?”

“I’m actually going to need help with these. My back’s about to go out and I need to be able to climb through a window in a couple of days.”

Link took his foot off the counter and came over to the table. “Well, we have to take care of that back. That back is half my livelihood.” Rhett forced a laugh. Link pulled out the other chair, sat down facing Rhett, and gestured to the man’s foot.

Rhett brought up the boot. Link took it at the ankle and directed it to rest on his thigh. Rhett felt the warmth of Link’s skin on the back of his calf, through fabric and leather, as if they were touching bare flesh. His breath caught as he focused desperately on not reacting to the sensation. Link put one hand on the boot heel and the other at the toe and pulled, wiggling it until it loosened and slid off. They switched feet – and thighs – and the other boot came off just as smoothly.

Link tossed the boots under the table and stuck out his foot with the knotted laces. “Now do me.” His lips quirked. 

Rhett took the offered boot and brought it to his knee, but it barely reached. “Scoot up, man, I don’t want to have to bend over that far.” 

Link moved his chair closer, and suddenly Rhett’s knee was between Link’s thighs and Rhett’s heart was scrambling inside his ribcage like a crazed weasel. He took a quick breath and fought the urge to jerk his knee away as if it burned. 

“I didn’t mean that close, dude.”

Link’s eyes were on his face. “I just wanted to make it easy for you, old man.” He waved a hand at his foot imperiously. “Rescue me from bondage, my fairy prince.”

Rhett focused on the knotted laces in his lap and tried to ignore the similar knot in his stomach. Link’s boot nestled into the tulle, which pressed, in turn, into Rhett’s groin. His fingers felt weak and uncoordinated; he tried to conceal their trembling as he worked at the knot. Eventually, through sheer force of will, he picked the knot apart and got the boot unlaced enough for Link to take it off. The other boot was much more cooperative and came untied easily. 

Rhett leaned on the table and pushed himself to his feet, taking care not to twist his back. When he turned, he realized Link had also stood up, but hadn’t stepped back, so he was standing about a foot away. Rhett felt the table against his backside and realized that backing up was not an option. Link’s scent – sweat, deodorant, leather – washed over him.

Link seemed oblivious to their closeness. He reached out and took ahold of Rhett’s skirt at the hip again. “Don’t you want to take this off?” 

Rhett felt heat rise in his face and prayed he wasn’t visibly blushing. “Uh. What?” 

“The skirt. Isn’t it scratchy?” 

“Oh. I don’t have much underneath it, man. I was just gonna go home and change.”

“You’re going to drive me home wearing a skirt.” Link’s amusement was apparent. 

Rhett had to get out of this conversation before it went completely off the rails. “Or I could just leave you here to sleep under the table.”  

“Nah, I’m not gonna let you go.” Link reached out his other arm so both hands were holding on to the skirt over Rhett’s hips and twined his fingers into the tulle again. He pulled himself toward the other man until the lower halves of their bodies were separated only by layers of fabric. He kept his upper body leaned back and looked up into Rhett’s eyes. “You’re stuck with me, princess.”

Rhett looked down into Link’s upturned face, at his friend’s sly grin and his blue, blue eyes. His racing mind paused momentarily to be grateful for the hands at his hips, as he didn’t think he had the presence of mind to remain standing on his own at the moment. Link was just messing with him, right? That’s all it was. All it had to be. 

In the silence that accompanied Rhett's inner turmoil, there came a knock on the doorjamb. Link let go of the skirt and took a step back as they both turned to face the open doorway. A security guard regarded them with a friendly expression. “Hey, sirs, if you don’t mind, we’d like to lock up the studio for the night. You just about done here?” 

Rhett slipped into his professional mask, shoving aside the weirdness of the last few minutes. “Yes, thank you, we are.” He was aware that Link was watching him, but he focused on the guard. “C’mon, Link, let’s not keep this good man waiting.” 

He strolled out of the room, confident his best friend would follow.


	3. Chapter 3

Rhett sat in his car in Link’s driveway while the engine idled, his hands gripping the wheel. The sun was just coming up; he was a few minutes early for the morning pickup, but that suited him fine. He was glad to have time to collect himself. It had not been a restful night. He had lain in bed staring at the ceiling, an unwilling audience to the images that paraded in front of him every time he closed his eyes. Link’s face, with his mischievous grin, looking up at him from a mere foot away. Link’s eyes, shining blue out of the dark rings of black shadow. Link’s long fingers curled in the tulle of his skirt. 

Even now, if he let his mind wander where it wanted, he felt the pressure of Link’s hips against his, the warmth of Link’s thighs around his knee. He released the steering wheel to scrub at his eyes, which felt raw and itchy. At least they would be wearing goggles for today’s shoot, so the camera wouldn’t pick up how red they probably were. 

The passenger door opened and Rhett jumped, startled. Link slid into the seat with a cheerful, “Good morning!” As he closed the door, the scent of him filled the car: soap, deodorant, and freshly washed skin. A much cleaner smell than last night, and yet, still unmistakably him. 

“’Morning,” Rhett replied, with a slight rasp in his voice. He shifted the car into reverse and backed out of the driveway. He didn’t say anything else as he shifted into drive and turned toward the studio. He could feel Link looking at him in the dim light and concentrated on the road in front of him. 

“Everything all right?” 

Of course Link could tell that everything was not all right. When you’ve been friends with someone for multiple decades, there’s no hiding that sort of thing. Rhett scratched at his beard as he thought of an appropriate answer, then finally said, “I didn’t sleep well last night. I’m not sure how on the ball I’m gonna be today.” 

He still had his eyes on the road, but he could hear the smile in Link’s voice as his friend replied, “It’ll be fine. We’re just doing complicated dance moves we’ve never done before, that we have to get exactly in sync, while covered in body paint and wearing goggles so we can’t see what we’re doing. How hard could it be?”

Rhett smiled. “Well when you put it that way…” 

He drove on while Link did the heavy lifting of the conversation, talking about different aspects of the shoot yesterday. Rhett occasionally made small noises in response as his mind continued to wander. It sure sounded like Link had completely forgotten about the scene in the kitchenette, or maybe it had been so insignificant as to not impact his brain. Rhett began to think that maybe it had all been a fleeting bit of weirdness, attributable to the stress of the video shoot and possibly the wearing of a fairy skirt.

By the time they pulled into the studio lot, Rhett had convinced himself everything was back to normal. They got out of the car and entered the building, where they greeted the tech crew – who were already busily working on the set – and reviewed the plan for the day. They would get into costume and makeup for the Sandman roles and try to knock out the whole scene in a few hours, leaving the afternoon to review the takes, choose the best one, and then record the scene again with differences inserted.

They went to the dressing room and got out their costumes for the day: military-style jumpsuits with enormous epaulettes, medals, and rank insignias. Rhett changed quickly, keeping his eyes on the buttons he was doing up while Link, moving more slowly beside him, stripped to his underwear and pulled on the jumpsuit. Rhett was standing in front of the full-length mirror straightening his insignia when Link stepped close behind him. In the mirror, Rhett saw that Link had just started buttoning his jumpsuit, which was currently open to his navel.

Link caught his eye in the mirror. “These costumes are pretty goofy looking, but at least they’re more comfortable than yesterday’s.” 

Rhett nodded. He could feel the warmth radiating off Link along his entire backside. In the mirror, he could see a small curl of dark hair at the bottom of Link’s belly. He started to feel a weakness in his knees and quashed the sensation without mercy. He took a step toward the door and opened it, unheeding of Link’s state of undress. “I’m going to go get into makeup,” he said as he shut the door behind himself. 

The process of getting his face, hands, and hair coated in gold paint was not entirely pleasant – especially around the eyes and nose – but the makeup artist was quick and thorough. Rhett wasn’t sure the camera was ever going to see the backs of his ears, but better safe than sorry. Once the woman was satisfied there was no visible inch of him that was not either clothed or golden, he left the makeup room and went to the set. He amused himself by poking around the old and random props everyone had brought to make the room seem more homey, like framed photos of grandparents and antique toys. 

He had just picked up a creepy porcelain clown when he heard Link say, “Careful, man, you’re gonna get gold stuff all over that.”

Rhett turned to see Link standing at the edge of the set, coated in silver paint just as thoroughly as he was in gold. His hair, also silver, was slicked back into a helmet-like shape. As Link stepped closer, Rhett noticed the silver makeup was even on his eyelashes, catching the light and making them look twice as long.  It was also on his lips, accentuating their curves. 

Rhett put the figurine back on the shelf. There were, in fact, a few smudges of gold around its base. “Eh, that’ll never show up on camera.” 

They went over the choreography a few times with the other actor in the scene, the man sitting in the armchair who was their “victim.” With Link’s face obscured by the goggles, Rhett found himself able to focus on getting the movements right, and was soon in the comfortable swing of making movie magic. Once they had the choreography down, they shot a dozen or so takes along with the music, then the director called for them to take a break and review what they had gotten.

Rhett leaned over to look in the video monitor as Link stepped up beside him, also leaning down, and laid a hand casually at the small of Rhett’s back as he did so, as if to steady himself. Link’s face was right next to his and a lock of his silvered hair brushed Rhett’s cheek. Rhett turned to glance at his friend and realized Link had also removed his goggles, and his silver-ringed eyes were inches away. Link smiled at him and said, “I think that last take was the best one. Let’s see it.” 

Rhett turned his face back to the monitor, blinking as he tried to focus on the small screen and not on the warm touch on his spine.  They watched the last take and everyone agreed it was good enough to be the final cut. The director suggested they take a break while the crew made the necessary alterations to the set.

A break was definitely in order if Rhett was going to be able to perform another dozen takes with the same level of focus. He grabbed a bottle of water and went back to the dressing room with the hope that the room would be empty. He was taking his first drink from the bottle when he heard a noise, and looked up to see Link had entered the room and was closing the door behind him. 

In response to Rhett’s raised eyebrow, Link said, “Hey man, I wanted to see how you were doing. It’s been an intense morning.” Link hadn’t put his glasses on after removing his goggles, and without them his face had the vaguely naked look that every normally-bespectacled person has when they aren’t wearing anything. 

Rhett smiled. “I’m okay. It’s hard to remember every little wiggle, but I think we’re getting it.” 

Link walked over to where Rhett was standing and looked up at him. Rhett looked down, the smile lingering on his lips. It was fun, making this crazy stuff with his best friend. He could let himself enjoy it. It didn’t have to be weird.  

These were the thoughts he was having as Link took another step closer, so that their legs were almost touching. He was looking at Rhett’s face with a faint squint, trying to focus without his glasses. He reached up and ran his thumb, ever so lightly, along the edge of Rhett’s lower lip.

Rhett froze, fighting the urge to shudder in response to the electrifying sensation. “Wh… what?”

Link leaned his face even closer. “I think the water bottle messed up your makeup.” His hand still hovered close to Rhett’s face, and now his fingertips curled under the side of Rhett’s jaw, as if to steady himself. He touched his thumb to Rhett’s lip again.

Rhett could feel his internal resolve crumbling. Link’s thumb on his lip burned like fire. He brought up a hand and took Link’s, folding his fingers into Link’s palm and pulling the hand away from his face. Link turned with a furrowed brow to look at their clasped hands. “The makeup…”

“I don’t care about the makeup right now.” Rhett’s voice was rough. He stared at the side of Link’s face, at his smooth cheek and impossibly long, silvered lashes. He reached out his free hand, cupped it around the back of Link’s neck, and gently turned the man’s face back toward him. 

Link’s expression was confused, but there was another layer there that Rhett could not identify. Amusement? Anticipation? Link’s lips were parted slightly and the silver highlighted every crease and curve.  He blinked slowly, looking up at Rhett, yielding to the soft pressure of his friend’s fingertips. 

For Rhett, the whole world narrowed to an aperture that contained nothing but Link’s eyes. He felt as though he were drowning, lost and helpless. His whirling mind could only imagine one lifeline, and he reached for it. He leaned down and pressed his lips against Link’s, silver and gold together, in a long kiss that both gave him back his breath and took it away again, all in the same instant.


	4. Chapter 4

As their lips touched, he felt the muscles in Link’s neck tense under his fingertips, but the other man did not pull away. Rhett closed his eyes. A wave of tension rolled along his body like a lightning bolt, radiating from his chest and tingling along his extremities in a continuous tide. Time slowed to a standstill, as if the physical sensation of the kiss had combined with the emotional maelstrom to freeze him in place for eternity. 

Somewhere within that eternity, he felt Link’s lips part slightly, tentatively. Rhett heard himself make a soft, involuntary groan from the back of his throat as their tongues brushed together. Link’s hand moved from Rhett’s jaw to his back, between his shoulder blades, pressing with a soft but insistent weight. In response, Rhett brought his arm around the other man’s lower back and pulled him in close. Link made a low, wordless noise that shot weakness through Rhett’s knees. 

Rhett felt as though he was sinking into warm, welcoming quicksand. The small portion of his brain that was still functioning observed how different it was to kiss a man. Even though Link was clean-shaven, his skin felt rougher, and his lips more firm, than any woman Rhett had kissed. He let himself drown in sensations: the subtle, slightly sweet taste of Link’s mouth, the feel of his shifting back muscles and hip bone under Rhett’s hand. The familiar scent of Link’s sweat, mixed with something else… what was it? The small working portion of Rhett’s brain finally struggled to the surface long enough to sound the alarm: makeup.

Rhett reluctantly dropped his hands from Link’s body and raised his head, opening his eyes with a conscious effort. Breaking off the kiss was like getting a bucket of cold water in the face. He felt disoriented, like he was staring into the sun after an hour spent in darkness. He blinked rapidly a few times until his vision cleared. 

Link was looking up at him with a dazed expression. It took all of Rhett’s willpower not to lean in and kiss him again, to ride those delicious waves of sensation for as long as possible so he wouldn’t have to deal with what would happen afterward.  Instead, his eyes focused on the smears of gold makeup around Link’s lips, and also on his cheeks and chin where Rhett’s beard had brushed against them. The silver that had been in those locations now looked patchy. Rhett’s stomach performed a decidedly unpleasant somersault. He watched as Link’s eyes surveyed his face and took on a similar look of dawning horror. 

“Rhett…”

There was a knock on the door. Both men jumped and spun to face it. The director’s voice came through it, saying, “We’re done making the changes to the set. You guys about ready for phase two?”

They stared at each other for a couple of beats before Link called out, “We’re gonna need a few minutes. We’re trying out some new things.” He raised his eyebrows at Rhett and gave him his signature open-mouthed grin. Rhett felt a wave of relief, both for Link’s quick thinking, and the idea that maybe things weren’t going to be incredibly awkward forever now. 

There was a pause, then the director said, “Well, I hope you’re not changing anything about the scene we just shot, or the crew might have a little mutiny here.”

“Nope, just things for tomorrow,” Link called. 

“All right, well, we’re ready when you are.” 

Rhett felt his racing heart slow as the director’s footsteps faded away. He took a deliberate deep breath to further steady himself. Link had begun going through the drawers of the room’s dressing table, presumably to find something to fix their faces. He was muttering to himself and the muttering grew louder as each drawer came up empty. He closed the last one with a slam, then leaned over the table to glare at himself in the mirror. Rhett stepped up behind him, careful not to touch him now, and watched as his friend tried to rub the gold off and smear the silver back into place. It wasn’t working.

Rhett moved up next to him and likewise peered into the mirror, trying to do the same thing with his makeup.  The futility of the endeavor quickly became clear. There was silver ground into the roots of his beard. He looked at his hands and saw the gold had smudged off his palms and fingertips. He looked… yep, there were gold fingerprints on the back of Link’s neck. And a gold smudge across the bottom of his lower back, on the jumpsuit. “Shit,” he said. 

Link looked up and met his eyes in the mirror. His dazed expression had vanished; now his jaw was set firmly and he looked serious, almost calculating. The warm openness on his face immediately after the kiss had been wholly replaced with something that looked like mild annoyance.

Rhett tried to affect a similar businesslike expression. “I think we’re gonna need to re-do the whole makeup.”

Link nodded sharply. “Yep, I think you’re right.” He grabbed a roll of paper towels from the corner of the table, tore off a few, and handed the roll to Rhett. Then he turned to the mirror and began scrubbing roughly at his face. “If we take it off our whole faces maybe – “ He paused. “Maybe there won’t be as many questions.”

Rhett started rubbing the paper towels on his face, scraping them against skin that already felt raw. He studied Link’s face surreptitiously while he did so, and began to feel a creeping sense of unease. Link’s expression was blank, the corners of his lips downturned. 

“Hey man,” Rhett began, and reached a hand toward Link’s back. 

Link saw him move in the mirror and took a short side-step away, avoiding the touch. His shoulders hunched forward protectively, making him seem smaller than normal.  “What? We need to get back on set, like, now.”

Rhett’s heart tripped painfully. “Sorry, I…” He coughed and tried again. “There’s makeup on your back. Let me get it?”

Link twisted around to look at his back in the mirror, then let out a short sigh. “Yes, please.” 

Rhett took a paper towel and rubbed at the gold smears, removing most of it and spreading the rest out so it wouldn’t be terribly noticeable. He said, “It’s, uh, also on the back of your neck.”

Link scraped a paper towel across the nape of his neck, then gestured at Rhett to turn around. “Let me see if there’s any on you.” Rhett turned and felt Link’s hands between his shoulder blades – only a few minutes after the last time they had been there, but now they were brusque and impersonal as they wiped at his jumpsuit. 

When Rhett turned back, Link was looking him up and down like a dispassionate judge at a county fair. “All right. I think we can go get this re-done now. We’ll just say we were trying out different masks for the burglar scene.” 

It was a thin excuse, but Rhett knew the crew wouldn’t question it. They’d always been accepting of the pair’s eccentricities in the past, and this one was pretty minor compared to some. Besides, if they had to come up with a better plan, Rhett would have to spend more time in this little room with his friend who was now emphatically radiating indifference. The air was starting to feel close. Better to match Link’s professional demeanor now, get through the shoot, and deal with the fallout later. Or, maybe, they’d just tacitly decide the kiss had never happened. 

As he let Link precede him out the door toward the makeup area, Rhett watched the light from the hallway caress Link’s still-silver eyelashes. In his mind, he rolled around that idea – that they could just go back to the way things had been. Compared to the delirious electricity of the kiss, the thought felt like a cold knife between his ribs.


	5. Chapter 5

They filmed the second version of the Sandman scene without major incident. Rhett’s distracted mindset caused him to flub some of the dance moves at first, but Link’s obvious impatience with him was a strong motivator to get his act together. He packed up his anxiety and confusion into a small box and shoved it into the corner of his mind. Whenever he started to get flash-memories of the kiss, he immediately stuffed those into the box too. Likewise when he found himself analyzing the way Link stood next to him to review a take – was he deliberately standing slightly further away? Did he consciously not put his hand on Rhett’s back this time? Rhett exiled those thoughts into the box as soon as they tried to surface. He hoped the box was sturdy enough.

Fortunately, the scene did not call for bodily contact or even much in the way of looking at each other. Hours passed in filming, reviewing, discussing, and filming again. They eventually got a take that everyone was satisfied with, and before Rhett knew it, it was time to wrap for the day. The production assistant approached him holding out a container of makeup wipes. “These should work pretty well,” she said as he took it from her. He glanced at Link, who was going over the last take in the monitor for the hundredth time, then thanked the PA and headed off to the bathroom.

He had to crouch a little to get low enough to see himself in the mirror. In the fluorescent light, his gilded skin looked more yellow, a bit sickly. There were a few faint tracks down his cheeks where drops of sweat had marred the makeup. He pulled a damp towel from the box and drew it down one side of his face, watching in the mirror as he slowly uncovered the skin underneath. 

After the first towel was entirely covered in gold makeup, half of his face was reasonably clean – with the exception of immediately around his eye, as if he were wearing gold eyeliner. The image amused him, so he continued scrubbing the makeup off that half of his mustache, beard, and neck, until he was exactly half gold and half not. He solemnly regarded his two-toned face in the mirror. Half of him looked like a golden robot, the other half like a gold-eyed fey creature.  There was a metaphor here, he thought. Professional Rhett, Emotional Rhett.

Link’s voice came from the open doorway. “Thinking of taking up a career in modeling?” His tone was light. 

Rhett turned with a self-conscious smile. Link’s head and hands were still silver.

“Actually I was thinking this might have potential for a bit. Maybe half my face and half your face, some sort of robot thing.” 

Link looked dubious. “I don’t think I want to get covered in this stuff again anytime soon.” 

He came up next to Rhett, pulled a towel out of the container, and began wiping the makeup off of himself. Rhett did the same with his remaining half, the split image no longer interesting to him. A few minutes of silence passed while they worked, during which Rhett flipped through his mental files, trying to find an innocuous topic of conversation to fill the space and rejecting them all. 

They cleaned off their faces, hands, and arms, then both ran towels through their hair – an almost but not entirely futile endeavor. After they had accumulated a mound of silver and gold towels in the sink, Link declared, “I think this is good enough to not get it all over your car at least. We probably won’t get the rest off without showering.”

He turned to Rhett as he spoke. The silver remained around his eyes in a similar eyeliner effect, as well as along his hairline and eyebrows. He looked entirely elfin. The image plus the concept of showering caused a momentary shortage in Rhett’s brain, like the lights flicked off for a moment and then back on. He had to suppress a snort of laughter at himself. It was all just so ridiculous. 

He hid his self-mockery by gathering up the towels and dropping them in the garbage can. “Ready to head out, then?” Link nodded. “Mmhmm.” 

They said good night to the crew and got into Rhett’s car. Link’s house was about thirty minutes away along the coastal highway. The sun was on its way down and its glare was particularly painful as it reflected off the metallic makeup remnants around their eyes. Both men quickly donned sunglasses. 

As the silence stretched on through the first fifteen minutes or so of the drive, Rhett began to feel a bit desperate. They were certainly capable of spending time together without speaking – they’d probably accumulated solid months of time doing that, in total. But this silence was heavy, like gathering storm clouds. There was a tension in the air Rhett had never noticed before.  

He tried to make small talk, keeping it casual. “I thought this afternoon went really well.”

“Yeah,” Link said. That was all.

“I think my back should be good for climbing through the window tomorrow.” 

“That’s good.” 

Rhett glanced over. Link was looking out the window. His hands were in his lap and he was slowly spinning his wedding ring around his finger. 

Rhett tried one more time. “How do you think the burglar shoot will go?” 

Link’s voice was clipped. “Great, so long as you can stay focused on what we’re doing.” 

Rhett blinked. He glanced over again and saw Link was still turned away from him. They were about five minutes from the exit for Link’s house. He saw a sign for a “scenic overlook,” and before he could think about it too much, he turned the wheel and pulled off onto the small gravel parking lot.

As the wheels crunched to a stop and Rhett put the car in park, Link said, “Hey man, what are you doing?” 

Rhett took off his sunglasses and rubbed his eyes. There were small gold smudges on his fingers. “We have to talk about it, Link.”

The other man stared straight ahead. “I don’t know that we do.” 

“Look. Something happened today, and if we don’t talk about it, I’m worried it’s going to… fester.” 

“Or maybe talking about it will turn it into something bigger than it is.” 

Rhett laughed mirthlessly. “I’d say it was pretty fucking big.” 

Link was facing him now. His right cheek shone with the warm sunset colors in front of them, but his face was unreadable behind the aviator sunglasses. He spoke slowly. “Or maybe you just had a moment of temporary insanity brought on by makeup fumes and 80’s dance moves.”

Rhett shook his head. He wasn’t sure how much further he could push the conversation. On the other hand, it might be the last time they ever talked about it, and if so, he couldn’t let it end here. He turned to face the sunset as he felt a slight blush creep up his cheeks. “But what about last night in the break room? When you grabbed my… skirt?” 

Link’s laugh sounded forced. “I was just messing with you, man.” 

“And what about…” Rhett struggled to even say the words. “What about when you… you kissed me back?”

“I think you’re misremembering.” Link was still facing him, still unreadable. “You’re misremembering, Rhett.” 

The sun touched the horizon, spreading reds and yellows along the low wispy clouds. Rhett felt as if his heart were being crushed in a vise. Each beat thudded painfully. How could that be true? The kiss was seared into his mind like a brand: fresh, agonizing, and crystal clear. Link’s hand on his back. Link’s body pressed against him. Link’s tongue caressing his own. If he had hallucinated Link’s enthusiastic response, he seriously needed to have his head examined. How could he have imagined something like that?  

He stared at the sunset, trying to come up with something he could say to counter the finality in Link’s voice. To make things good between them again. 

Link’s voice broke the silence. It was soft and maybe a little sad. “Can you please just take me home?”

Rhett reached for his sunglasses and slid them back onto his face. “All right.” 

He put the car into drive and pulled back onto the highway. They drove the rest of the way in silence. When they pulled into Link’s driveway, Link unbuckled his seatbelt and got out. “See you tomorrow,” he said, and closed the door.


	6. Chapter 6

When Rhett pulled into Link’s driveway the next morning, his friend was already sitting outside on the stoop in the pre-dawn gloom. His elbows rested on his knees and his head hung down, staring at the ground. Rhett watched as Link got to his feet and walked over to the car, then opened the door and slumped into the seat. “Good morning?” Rhett offered.

“I slept like crap.” Link’s voice was gravelly and it looked like he hadn’t shaved. 

“Sorry,” Rhett said. He, too, had barely slept, and his head felt like it was full of sludge. He wasn’t about to complain to Link, though. 

Link replied quickly, “It’s not your fault. I was just obsessing about the shoot today.” He knuckled his eyes. “There’s a lot to coordinate with all the actors in the scene.”

Rhett nodded as they pulled onto the highway. “Yeah, there’s a lot of potential for screw-ups.”

They passed the rest of the drive in comfortable conversation about the day’s plans, and Rhett started to breathe a little easier. Things seemed, if not entirely back to normal, at least on their way there. He focused his meager reserves of energy on keeping the conversation light and professional. They even had each other laughing a little by the time they pulled into the studio lot. 

They greeted the crew, picked up their costumes, and went to the dressing room. Rhett’s tired mind was blank as he mechanically took off his blue jeans and pulled on the tight black pants. He took off his shirt and then realized the top he needed to put on was twisted around and inside-out. He was fussing with it, trying to straighten it out, when something made him look up. 

Link had already finished changing into his own black outfit and was standing a few feet away, watching him. When Rhett looked up, Link’s eyes flicked up from where they had been, somewhere around Rhett’s lower back or hips. Rhett raised an eyebrow and thought he saw a faint flush on Link’s cheeks. 

Link looked away, saying, “I’m glad we saved the most comfortable costumes for the last day.” 

“Yeah, it isn’t bad.” Rhett got the shirt straightened out and pulled it on over his head. He felt Link’s eyes on him and took a perverse pleasure in taking his time with the motion. If Link wanted to be in denial, Rhett wasn’t going to enable it. He turned and appraised himself in the mirror. Like Link’s, the thin shirt clung to his chest and shoulders. The two buttons at the collar were undone, exposing a bit of collarbone.  

Link walked to the door and opened it, gesturing Rhett through ahead of him. “Shall we?”

The way this part of the video was structured, the two men had to start every take by climbing through a small bedroom window. The area on the other side of the wall where they waited to do this was not very large, and they had to share it with a large lighting apparatus which shone through the window, providing the “moonlight” for the scene. This area was where they went after getting black makeup applied to their eyes in the shape of masks and putting on black ski caps and gloves.

The light was off to conserve electricity, and the space was fairly dark as a result. Rhett slumped with his elbows resting on the windowsill, legs out in front of him, while Link leaned on the wall. The silence between them felt pretty normal now. Rhett closed his eyes and had practically dozed off by the time everyone was ready for the first take. 

The first take rapidly turned into many takes. Because it was one continuous shoot – no cuts – even if the two men performed their part perfectly, it only took one small mistake by any of the other four people in the scene to make it so they had to do the whole thing over again. After a couple hours passed and they hadn’t gotten what they wanted, the director called for everyone to take a break.

Rhett’s back was killing him from twisting through the window, and the exhaustion of consecutive sleepless nights was dragging him down. Once the other actors cleared the set, he gingerly lay down on the bed that was there, face buried in the pillow, heedless of his makeup. He didn’t even realize he was whimpering softly from the pain until he heard Link’s voice quietly next to his ear. “Everything okay, man?”

Rhett turned toward the voice and saw Link’s face inches away, his eyes practically glowing within the black makeup mask. Rhett blinked a few times, trying to focus. Link’s brow was furrowed with concern. “Your back?” he asked. Rhett nodded carefully, unwilling to move much. It felt like it was beginning to seize up. If this prevented them from getting the last scene done, it could jeopardize the whole video. 

Link reached out a hand and gently brushed back a piece of hair that had stuck to the makeup at Rhett’s temple. Rhett closed his eyes at the touch. Link sat down on the bed next to him, careful not to jostle him. “Would it help if I rubbed your back?”

Rhett kept his eyes closed and fought to keep his expression neutral. Link was obviously just trying to get him back on his feet for the rest of the day. “Uhm, maybe,” Rhett said.

He felt Link’s weight shift next to him, then Link’s hands on his back, one on each side of his spine. He had removed his gloves. At first, Link just left his hands in place, and their warmth seeped into Rhett’s skin and made him feel both comforted and electrified. He couldn’t contain a small sigh of pleasure as Link tentatively began kneading the area. 

Link said, “I don’t know what I’m doing or anything.” He paused. “With your back, I mean. I don’t want to mess with your spine. I’ll just work on the muscles.”

Rhett made a soft noise. “It’s definitely helping.” He kept his eyes closed, reveling in the sensations. 

Like always with Rhett’s herniated disc, the pain was in the lower middle of his back. Link knew this. And yet, he didn’t confine his ministrations to that area. He slowly worked his way up, massaging Rhett’s shoulders and then putting his fingertips on both sides of his neck. He slowly stroked his fingers from hairline to collarbones. At the bottom of the motion, his fingernails grazed the skin and Rhett shivered involuntarily.

The fingers disappeared. Link’s weight shifted again, and he felt breath tickle the hair above his ear. “Is that okay?” Link whispered. 

Rhett stifled a small whimper, this time of yearning. He held himself motionless, refusing to respond to anything his body might be reading into the situation. “Yes, it’s okay,” he replied.

Link sat back up and continued massaging, working his way back down Rhett’s back. When he got to the bottom of Rhett’s shirt, there was a pause, then Rhett felt his shirt being lifted up a few inches. Link’s hands pressed into the bare skin just above his hips. In the cool air of the studio, Link’s hands felt hot, almost burning, as he drew his thumbs outward from Rhett’s spine to his sides. Rhett kept his breathing slow and regular even as Link’s hands pushed his pelvis against the mattress. It’s just a massage, he repeated to himself. Just a friendly massage.

Rhett had no concept of how much time passed with Link’s hands on his body, but the break had only been scheduled for fifteen minutes, so it must not have been long. Eventually Link put the shirt back in place and stood up from the bed. “Are you feeling good enough to start shooting again?”

Rhett gathered his arms underneath himself and pushed up carefully into a sitting position, then swung his legs onto the floor. His back did, in fact, feel much better. “I think I’m good to go. Thanks, man.” 

Link smiled. “No problem.” 

Rhett got his makeup touched up and the group resumed filming. There were still a lot of mistakes, but he felt more optimistic about the whole thing. Link seemed to be in a better mood, too. It was as if the break had given them both a second wind. They eventually got a good first take, then started working on the second “differences” version of the scene. 

At one point in the afternoon, the two men were standing in the narrow space outside the window watching as the director spoke to the other actors on the main set. Rhett put his hands on the windowsill and leaned slowly from side to side in an effort to stretch his back. Without warning, he felt Link move to stand directly behind him, thighs touching the backs of his legs, and he froze. “Uh,” he said.

Link’s hands closed around his hips and his fingers worked their way under the bottom of Rhett’s shirt. His gloves were off again. Rhett stayed motionless as he felt Link’s thumbs stroke outward from his spine to his hips. They were still very warm. 

His hands remaining where they were, Link leaned over Rhett’s back until Rhett felt his whole chest against him. “I just want to make sure you aren’t getting stiff,” Link said softly, his breath teasing through the thin fabric over Rhett’s shoulder blades. 

Rhett closed his eyes. He wanted more than anything to relax into Link’s arms, to sink into the comfort he imagined they would give… maybe even pursue Link’s particular choice of words a bit further. Instead, he forced himself to remember their conversation yesterday evening in the car. He pictured the determined set of Link’s jaw and heard the coldness that had been in his voice. He felt a flare of anger at the thought that, after all they went through yesterday, Link was trying to fuck with him again.

He reached back and pried Link’s hands off of him, then turned around and took a step away. Link’s expression was questioning. “I’m sorry,” Rhett said. “I wouldn’t want to… misremember anything again.”

Before Link could respond, Rhett sidestepped around his friend and out into the main room. It was time to wrap this video up.


	7. Chapter 7

They ended the shoot a few hours later after making sure they had all the footage they could possibly need. They thanked the crew and sent them home – they’d be back tomorrow to strike the set, but now everyone was released for a much-needed rest.

As everyone said their goodbyes and cleared out, Rhett puttered around the set. He wasn’t in a hurry to leave; the thought of sitting in traffic was unappealing. He was still feeling tired, and now that the shooting was done, the adrenaline that had kept him going had ebbed. The bed on the set was calling his name. Maybe he could just lie down and close his eyes for a few minutes until Link was ready to go.

He lay on his back with his arms above his head, under the pillow, and proceeded to fall asleep instantly. Some time later, he awoke to the sensation of the bed shifting as someone sat next to him. When he opened his eyes, he saw Link looking down at him in dim light. The set lights had been turned off and the only illumination came through the cracked door to the hallway.

Like Rhett, Link had removed his ski cap and gloves, and wiped off the black makeup mask, though there was still that persistent eyeliner effect. Also like Rhett, he still wore the tight black pants and thin cotton shirt with collar buttons undone. His hair was matted down and curled under his ears. 

Rhett watched as Link’s eyes traveled from his face down to his chest and stomach. With his arms behind his head, Rhett’s shirt had ridden up, exposing a few inches above the waistband of his pants. He had a sudden sense of vulnerability, but didn’t want to shift position and call attention to it. He felt Link’s gaze like a whisper on his skin as it traveled from his hips back up to his face. Half of Link’s mouth was raised in a shy, lopsided smile. 

Link reached a hand to the bare skin of Rhett’s stomach. He stroked it awkwardly, with his fingertips, like a person might pet a strange cat. Rhett suppressed a reaction to squirm at the mildly ticklish sensation and waited to see where the other man was going with this.

After a few seconds, Link said softly, “I told Steve we would lock up. He left.” Steve was the security guard. 

Rhett swallowed. That meant they were alone in the studio. On a bed. In the almost-dark. He felt his heart start to quicken as Link’s fingertips traced spirals on his skin, raising goosebumps.

Rhett removed a hand from behind his head and brought it down to take Link’s. He moved it off his stomach and onto the mattress between them, keeping his hand over it. “What’s going on, man?” Rhett asked.

Link’s eyes were half closed as he looked down at him. “I think you know,” he replied.

Rhett shook his head. “I have my guesses… but after yesterday, I want to make sure we’re on the same page.”

In response, Link swung his legs onto the bed and lay down on his side, head on the other pillow, facing Rhett. His knees were drawn up slightly so they pressed against the side of Rhett’s thigh, and his hand now held Rhett’s hand between them. Rhett remained on his back, but turned to look at Link’s face, inches away. 

Link’s expression was self-conscious but determined. “I’m sorry about yesterday. I was overwhelmed.”

“You didn’t need to make me feel like I was a freak. That I was making it all up in my head.”

“I know. It was a jerk move.” Link’s hand tightened around his. “I just don’t want to screw up this amazing life we have, man.”

“Me neither,” Rhett said seriously. “But I want…” he trailed off, unsure how to finish the sentence. He wanted Link’s mouth. He wanted Link’s hands. His desire loomed huge and terrifying. He looked away, up into the darkness of the ceiling. “Last night, when I thought… when I thought you hated me for what happened…” his voice hitched. 

Link reached out the hand that was not holding his and stroked it down the side of Rhett’s cheek. “I could never hate you, Rhett. You’re my best friend.” 

Rhett took a deep, shuddering breath. He hadn’t realized how scared he had been of losing Link until he heard the man say the words. He blinked as his eyes began to tear up, still staring at the ceiling. 

Link cupped his chin and turned his face toward him. “I’m sorry I was such an asshole.” His fingertips traced circles under Rhett’s ear. “How can I make it up to you?” 

Rhett felt like he was standing on a high dive looking at the water miles below. The whole world was swaying. It was either jump off and trust that the water was deep enough not to kill him, or climb down the ladder back to his normal life. Last chance. 

Link’s eyes were a deep blue. He had drawn the corner of his lower lip between his teeth. Diving off the cliff was the only viable option Rhett could see.

“Come here,” he said. He took his free hand, reached across his body, and cupped the back of Link’s leg. He pulled it across himself, guiding Link over until the man was above him. Link straddled his hips, his warm calves nestled along the outsides of Rhett’s thighs. The skin at his collarbones was flushed. 

Link looked down at Rhett from his new position, heavy-lidded eyes luminous in the darkness. He supported himself on his forearms to either side of Rhett’s head, his face only inches away. His lips were parted slightly and Rhett could taste him in the air.

“Kiss me,” Rhett breathed, running his hands up Link’s sides until he was gripping his shoulders. As Link leaned down and met Rhett’s lips with his own, his hair escaped his ears and brushed Rhett’s cheek.

The kiss was tentative at first. Rhett parted his lips, inviting. Link let out a low noise as his tongue entered Rhett’s mouth. Rhett trailed a hand up the back of Link’s neck and buried his fingers in his hair. When he tightened his hand, pulling gently, Link gave a low moan.

Rhett ran his free hand under Link’s shirt, laying his forearm along the length of Link’s back and cupping his shoulder blade. The skin to skin contact was ecstasy. He abandoned all pretense of coherent thought and just reveled in the delicious sensations, engulfed in the pure joy of simply being allowed to touch Link’s slim, muscled body. The stubble on Link’s face was rough. His breath as he breathed into Rhett’s mouth came quick and shallow.

Link broke off the kiss and moved to Rhett’s neck, nuzzling just under his ear. Rhett tilted his head to the side, exposing his neck further. Link took the cue and delicately nipped at the spot, then raked his teeth down to the curve of Rhett’s shoulder. With burning fingers, he reached up and drew the collar of Rhett’s shirt down, kissing the exposed collarbone. 

Each touch set off a tiny explosion in Rhett’s brain. He heard himself making small wordless noises and realized he was moving his hips involuntarily, rhythmically. Leaving one hand buried in Link’s hair, he took the other out of his Link’s shirt and ran it down his back, over his ass and down the back of his thigh. As Link brought his mouth back to Rhett’s, Rhett pulled his body close. He could feel Link’s arousal clearly now. No doubt Link could feel his.

“Oh my goodness,” Link whispered against Rhett’s mouth. He was also moving his hips, pushing down. Both men had broken into a sweat.

With his eyes closed, Rhett’s whole world was sensations: Link’s weight on him, his lips and the taste of him, his taut muscles moving. Rhett took his hand from Link’s hair and used his thumb under Link’s chin to tilt his head up. He kissed along Link’s jawline, then down alongside his Adam’s apple. He found the place where Link’s pulse fluttered rapidly just under the surface and paused to caress it with his tongue. He felt Link shudder against him. He kissed his way back up to Link’s lips. Link’s mouth met him hungrily, almost desperately.

Eventually Rhett’s brain, moving slowly through the fog of desire, raised an important point. The situation was rapidly escalating toward a point of no return, and he was not entirely ready for that yet. As much as he wanted it, he also wanted to savor it. Even more, he wanted to make sure this new thing between them was strong enough to handle it. He reluctantly broke off the kiss.

Link sat up slightly, looking down at Rhett from a few inches away. His eyes were still half-closed and he looked dazed. His lips were moist and reddened. Rhett fought the urge to pull him back down. Instead, he said in a thick voice, “I don’t want to, but I think we should probably stop before, ah…”

Link’s expression took on a combination of disappointment and relief. “Okay, yeah. We probably shouldn’t rush things… too much.” 

Link leaned down for a last quick kiss before swinging his leg back over. He lay down on his side, facing Rhett as before, but closer. Rhett extended his arm and Link rested his head in the crook of it, putting his own arm across Rhett’s chest, where Rhett was sure he could feel his heart beating. They regarded each other in comfortable silence while their breathing slowed, calmed.

Link smiled up at him. “Do you forgive me now, Rhett?”

Rhett stroked his hair. “I do, Link.” He grinned. “But I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to make it up to me again, anytime.”

Link’s long fingers traced circles on Rhett’s chest. “I think I would really like that.” 

Rhett put his hand over Link’s and held it on top of his chest. His heart was full of wonder at the beauty of the universe. How lucky he was. The future stretched before him like an unexplored world full of limitless adventure. There would be a lot of questions. No doubt it would get messy at times. But for now, nothing remained but to fall asleep with his best friend in his arms.


End file.
